Bottom plug for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing

An apparatus connectable to a drill pipe for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising:

• an expansion cone connected to the drill pipe;
• an expandable bottom packer coupled to and below the expansion cone;
• an expandable tubular member supported by the drill pipe above the expansion cone for insertion into the wellbore;
• an anchor device supported by the drill pipe within the expandable tubular member for releasably gripping the expandable tubular member;
• an actuator coupled between the anchor and the expansion cone for moving the cone partially into the expandable tubular member to form a first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• a set mechanism coupled between the expansion cone and the expandable bottom packer for expanding the expandable bottom packer and sealingly setting the expanded expandable bottom packer in the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• a release mechanism coupled between the expansion cone and the expandable bottom packer for releasing the expandable boom packer from the expansion cone such that fluid pumped into the expandable tubular member between the expansion cone and the expandable bottom packer will force the expansion cone through the expandable tubular member and will thereby expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A bottom plug for use in connection with an apparatus for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, the apparatus of the type using an expandable tubular member carried into the wellbore on a tubular support and expanded with an expansion device connected to the tubular support, the bottom plug comprising:

• an expandable packer attached below the expansion device;
• a packer setting mechanism coupled between the expansion device and the expandable packer for expanding the expandable packer and sealingly setting the expandable packer in an expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• a release mechanism coupled between the expansion device and the expandable packer for releasing the expandable bottom packer from the expansion device so that fluid pumped into the expandable tubular member between the expansion device and the sealed and set expandable bottom packer will facilitate forcing the expansion device into and through the expandable tubular member to expand the expandable tubular member.

A method for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising

• connecting an expansion cone to a tubular support;
• coupling an expandable bottom packer to and below the expansion cone;
• supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at position above the expansion cone;
• inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion cone;
• sealingly setting the expanded expandable bottom packer in the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• releasing the expandable bottom packer from the expansion cone;
• pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion cone and the set and expanded expandable bottom packer to force the expansion cone through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A method for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising

• connecting an expansion device to a tubular support;
• coupling an expandable bottom packer to and below the expansion device;
• supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at position above the expansion device;
• inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion device;
• sealingly setting the expanded expandable bottom packer in the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• releasing the expandable bottom packer from the expansion device;
• pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion device and the set and expanded expandable bottom packer to facilitate forcing the expansion device through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A method for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising

• connecting an expansion cone to a tubular support;
• supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at a position above the expansion cone;
• inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion cone;
• sealing off the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion cone and the sealed off first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member to force the expansion cone through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A method for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising:

• connecting an expansion device to a tubular support;
• supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at position above the expansion device;
• inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion device;
• sealingly off the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion device and the sealed off first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member to facilitate forcing the expansion device through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A system for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising means for connecting an expansion cone to a tubular support;

• means for coupling an expandable bottom packer to and below the expansion cone;
• means for supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at position above the expansion cone;
• means for inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• means for expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion cone;
• means for sealingly setting the expanded expandable bottom packer in the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• means for releasing the expandable bottom packer from the expansion cone;
• and
• means for pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion cone and the set and expanded expandable bottom packer to force the expansion cone through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A system for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising

• means for connecting an expansion device to a tubular support;
• means for coupling an expandable bottom packer to and below the expansion device;
• means for supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at position above the expansion device;
• means for inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• means for expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion means for sealingly setting the expanded expandable bottom packer in the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• means for releasing the expandable bottom packer from the expansion device;
• and
• means for pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion device and the set and expanded expandable bottom packer to facilitate forcing the expansion device through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A system for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising

• means for connecting an expansion cone to a tubular support;
• means for supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at a position above the expansion cone;
• means for inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• means for expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion cone;
• means for sealing off the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• means for pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion cone and the sealed off first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member to force the expansion cone through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.

A system for forming a mono diameter wellbore casing, comprising:

• means for connecting an expansion device to a tubular support;
• means for supporting an expandable tubular member with the tubular support at position above the expansion device;
• means for inserting the expandable tubular member into the wellbore;
• means for expanding a first portion of the expandable tubular member with the expansion device;
• means for sealing off the first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member;
• and
• means for pumping fluid into the expandable tubular member between the expansion device and the sealed off first expanded portion of the expandable tubular member to facilitate forcing the expansion device through the expandable tubular member to expand a second portion of the expandable tubular member.